Winners and Boozers at the Baftas

Sam Mendes and Barbara Brocoli with the award for Outstanding British Film for 'Skyfall'

"Nothing could dampen the spirits of the Hollywood legends among 2,000 guests honouring the best of this year’s films"

Nothing could dampen the spirits of the Hollywood legends among 2,000 guests honouring the best of this year’s films at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

The big shock of the night was Bond film Skyfall beating Les Miserables to scoop Outstanding British Film.

The award was presented by Bradley Cooper and Ben Affleck. The film’s director Sam Mendes paid tribute to the “bravery and brilliance” of 007 star Daniel Craig, and “the great” Ian Fleming who created James Bond. But Les Mis did pick up gongs for make up and hair, as well as editing.

Best Short Film and Short Animation went to Swimmer and The Making Of Longbird. Best Costume Design went to Anna Karenina (Jacqueline Durran).

Host Stephen Fry introduced the show which kicked off with singer Paloma Faith performing the INXS hit Never Tear Us Apart.

American Civil War drama Lincoln led the year’s nominations with 10 nods, including best fi lm and Brit star DanielDay Lewis, 55, for Best Actor.

Day-Lewis’s competition included Affleck, 40, who was also in the running for best director for political thriller Argo. Musical adaption Les Mis and 58-year-old Ang Lee’s Life of Pi both had nine nominations.

Skyfall, nominated for eight awards, saw stars Dame Judi Dench, 78, and Javier Bardem, 43, in the Best Supporting Actress and Actor categories. Daniel Craig, 44, missed out on a best actor nomination.

Quentin Tarantino, 49, who was expected to attend, saw his film Django Unchained receive a grand total of five nominations.

Director Sir Alan Parker, 68, whose works include The Commitments and Bugsy Malone, was honoured with a British Academy Fellowship. Every award nominee took home a £2,500 gift bag, which included a bottle of Tattinger

Champagne, a luxury silk Escada scarf, a box of lavish Hotel Chocolat truffles and a tour of a winery in New Zealand.

The stars partied into the night and were expected to glug 200magnums of Champagne at the official after party. Some 1,200 bottles of plonk and 120 bottles of Ameretto were brought in for celebs to quaf.

The celebrations continued at the Grosvenor House hotel in posh Mayfair.

And US mega producer Harvey Weinsten, 60, was also expected to host a post Bafta shindig in a private club.